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Tips for Using Sawdust

Sawdust, shavings and wood chips are the residue from milled lumber. Wood particles are commonly used as bedding and litter horses, cows, and other livestock, fuel and scatter for floors (steakhouses, most famously). In addition to the above mentioned uses, there are numerous other sawdust applications you might not have thought of. Here is a list of tips for using sawdust you might find useful. However, be careful; wood from conifers such as pine, cedar and spruce should never be used for cooking, and black walnut wood chips should never be used for pet bedding, as it is toxic to animals.

Tip # 1: Use sawdust for organic garden care.Combining sawdust and wood shavings with garden soil and nitrogen rich fertilizers optimizes the nutrient levels in your soil. Because fungi feed on wood, thereby increasing the organic matter in the soil. If you are looking for a natural weed killer, then walnut sawdust might be the answer. Walnut bark contains natural herbicide.

Tip # 2: Use untreated hardwood sawdust and wood chips to smoke meat.Hardwood sawdust from applewood, hickory or pecan wood make excellent flavor enhancers when grilling, and are also unparalleled for extended smoking. When you barbeque, throw a few handfuls of soaked hardwood chips on the coals; they will add excellent wood smoke flavor to whatever meats and vegetables you choose to grill.

Tip # 3: Use sawdust for cleaning.You can clean your garage floor of dirt and impacted grime by mixing sawdust with water and using it as a scrub. Just sweep the mixture vigorously with a push broom to pick up accumulated grime. You can also soak up spilled oil by covering the area with dry sawdust and sweeping it up after an hour. Some people recommend cleaning oily tools with sawdust; sprinkle your tools liberally with sawdust and wipe it off.

Sawdust and shaving products, as well as mulch, bedding, hog fuel, and bark can be found from various stores and mills. Some will have a wide variety, including pine and cedar variations and organic products. For those that are looking for bedding they will want to compare prices with multiple mills to see where they can get the best price. Research all of your options and learn about bacteria levels in bedding litter and shavings and what refrigeration can do to those levels. Some possible hazards are that products can be flammable if dry which causes them to burn if not cared for properly. Shavings for wildlife can also be collected. Wood residue and particles are safe to use for many different reasons. Buying sawdust and shavings will save you money in the long run. Compare prices of wood particles from multiple companies to see who gives you the best deal. You will want to factor in any delivery fees if you're unable to pick up the order yourself. Look online or in a phone book to find sawdust suppliers. Call and ask what kinds of mulch and bedding they sell to see if they carry the specific kind you're looking for. If they don't, they may offer to order it for you or can recommend somewhere that has it available. Ask friends and family if they know of anywhere that has the best prices for the product to have more options than what you would have found on your own.